Redemption Song

• By: Bob Marley & The Wailers

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
redemption /rɪˈdɛmpʃən/ C1	noun - the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
song /sɔŋ/ A1	noun - a piece of music with words that you sing
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ B1	noun - the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.
rob /rɒb/ B1	verb - to take something illegally from a person or place, often using violence or the threat of violence.
merchant /ˈmɜːrtʃənt/ B2	noun - a person or company involved in wholesale trade, especially one dealing with foreign countries or supplying merchandise to a particular trade.
pit /pɪt/ B1	noun - a large hole in the ground.
strong /strɒŋ/ A1	adjective - having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.
generation /ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/ B1	noun - all of the people born and living at about the same time.
triumphantly /traɪˈʌmfəntli/ C1	adverb - in a way that shows great happiness or satisfaction as a result of a success or victory.
emancipate /ɪˈmænsɪpeɪt/ C1	verb - to set free, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions.
slavery /ˈsleɪvəri/ B2	noun - the condition of being owned by another person and being forced to work for them.
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel; the faculty of consciousness.
fear /fɪər/ A2	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, real or imagined. verb - be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening.
atomic /əˈtɒmɪk/ B2	adjective - relating to or using the energy released by nuclear fission or fusion.
energy /ˈenərdʒi/ A2	noun - the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
prophet /ˈprɒfɪt/ B2	noun - a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
fulfill /fʊlˈfɪl/ B2	verb - to bring to completion or reality; achieve or realize (something desired, promised, or predicted).

Grammar:

• Old pirates, yes, they rob I

  ➔ Subject-Verb-Object word order deviation (I instead of me); simple past tense

  ➔ The phrase "rob I" is a non-standard usage. It uses "I", the subjective pronoun, instead of "me", the objective pronoun, which is grammatically incorrect in standard English. It reflects a dialect or poetic license. Use of past tense "rob" to imply something happened in the past

• Sold I to the merchant ships

  ➔ Passive Voice, Subject-Verb-Object word order deviation (I instead of me)

  ➔ Similar to "rob I", using "I" instead of "me" is grammatically incorrect. Implying the passive voice construction (I was sold to...), simplified and condensed in the lyrics for stylistic effect.

• But my hand was made strong

  ➔ Passive Voice (was made)

  ➔ "Was made" indicates the passive voice, showing that the action of making the hand strong was done *to* it, not *by* it. The agent who strengthened the hand (implied in the next line) is not the subject of the sentence.

• Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The sentence is a direct command or exhortation. The verb "emancipate" is in its base form, with the implied subject being "you".

• None but ourselves can free our minds

  ➔ Double Negative (implied, "none...but"); modal verb (can)

  ➔ The phrase "None but ourselves" essentially means "Only ourselves". The use of "none" and "but" together creates a double negative, which, in this case, emphasizes the positive statement. "Can" is a modal verb indicating ability or possibility.

• How long shall they kill our prophets

  ➔ Future Tense (shall); interrogative sentence; third-person plural pronoun (they)

  ➔ "Shall" is an auxiliary verb used to express future tense, particularly common in older English. The question asks about the duration of an action in the future. "They" refers to an unspecified group responsible for killing the prophets.

• While we stand aside and look?

  ➔ Subordinate clause (while); Present Simple tense; Phrasal verb (stand aside)

  ➔ "While" introduces a subordinate clause expressing the time when the action of standing aside and looking occurs. The Present Simple tense describes a habitual or general action. "Stand aside" means to take no part or action in something.